By Steve Klamkin WPRO News
A consultant’s report suggests renovating rather than replacing the high security prison at the ACI, but Governor Gina Raimondo says that she remains open on ways to go about it.
A consultant’s report recommends renovating the high security facility at the Adult Correctional Institutions could save Rhode Island nearly $42-million over 30 years, but the correctional officers’ union objects to a tentative plan to place the most dangerous inmates in other prison facilities, not designed to accommodate them.
“We think it’s important that we sound the alarm so to speak that this is a really bad proposal,” said Richard Ferruccio, President of the Rhode Island Brotherhood of Correctional Officers.
“If it was to be implemented, we do believe it could create a loss of life.” Ferruccio’s union last week aired radio ads suggesting that if members were injured as a result of Raimondo’s decision, “the blood will be on her hands.”
Raimondo said she would meet with the union and her Director of Corrections, adding that she has yet to review the 31-page report that estimated that the renovation of the High Security Facility at the ACI in Cranston would save the state nearly $42 million over a 30-year period.
“We have to do something,” Raimondo said. “It is too expensive, it’s outdated, it’s inefficient, so I’m looking forward to seeing that report, we want to work collaboratively with the management at the ACI as well as the correctional officers at the ACI.”
So far, no meeting is planned.
